Los Angeles Politics Hotsheet for Friday

How to turn Barham Blvd into Wilshire Blvd.

-The 39,000 page Draft EIR for NBC Universal's mind boggling housing/office/studio project has been released and is now open to public comment for the next 60 days. NBC Universal hopes to turn 391 acres along the 101 freeway just north of the Cahuenga pass into almost 3000 residences to be built in low-, mid-, and high-rise buildings. New studios, office space, a hotel, and tourist attractions will also be added.  I suspect local residents are squealing with delight over this planned monstrosity coming to town, in part, because Barham, Lankershim, and the Cahuenga pass have so little traffic as it is.
Mayor Sam would also like to extend an invitation to the developer or organized opponents of the project to make your case here on this blog.  Just drop us an email at mayorsam@mayorsam.org. Please put UNIVERSAL in the subject line.

- Janice Hahn and other City Council members want to tax medical marijuana. But, medical marijuana is technically non profit and not subject to taxation even though everyone knows that most Med Marijuana clinics are making huge profits. Marijuana itself is still illegal, I think, so can a city tax an illegal substance? This is very confusing. The LA Weekly and Village to Village give it their best at figuring this all out.

- PBS legend and former Lyndon B. Johnson press secretary Bill Moyers says  "a plutocracy and a democracy do not mix". What? Get out of town Bill, that's crazy talk.

-Serious question to the MS pundits; How do you reduce a deficit by extending $700 billion in tax cuts to the wealthiest in the country? Stay on topic please.

-Governor-elect Brown has hit the ground running and spent the day at the state capitol beginning work on a spending plan.

-Oh boy, Raves are returning to the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Where's my damn glow stick?

- Hey, look what's still not open!
-And finally, what the hell is this?

Los Angeles Politics Hotsheet for Monday

Dream with me!

Bloomberg profiles Villaraigosa hatchet man Austin Beutner who says that LA needs to "grow up and focus on things that matter." In the piece former Mayor Dick Riordan says Beutner could be a possible candidate for Mayor in 2013.  That probably won't sit well with Riordan's buddies at the Clean Sweep campaign. Oh, Eli Broad agrees too.

Jane the Joker on Clownman's jihad against pot shops: "We're trying to be proactive."

A bunch of NIMBYS and Dangerous Enemies of Freedom (and prosperity) in Stupido City have been fighting to block NBC from moving thousands of high paying entertainment jobs from Burbank to the City of Los Angeles at the Universal City Metro Station.  Their economic terrorism has resulted in a delay to the NBC project however the Conan O'Brien debacle is at least providing an opportunity for NBC to make a partial move. The studio created for the red headed comedian's version of the NBC at Universal Studios institution is being retrofitted for the KNBC local news operation to move over along with some of their tabloid entertainment news shows.  NBC has sold their historic Burbank facilities to developers and will eventually have to move out.

Betty Pleasant is finding picking friends based on their enmity to Bernard Parks isn't working out for her.

Emergency Preparedness Month kicked off last week.  The LA Fire Department Blog has good tips on being prepared for good sanitation and being safely and comfortably dressed in a disaster.

The Worse TV Show Ever?

Franklin Avenue's always fun Retro Friday marked that the NBC television network is going through it's once-a-generation visit to the toilet as America's fourth place web.

The Peacock however has been there before and as the Franklins note it was the early 80s that they served up delightful trash such Harper Valley PTA, Nero Wolfe and The Brady Brides.

Yet FA forgot what is the defininitive worst ever NBC show, if not the worst show of any network.

Supertrain.



Supertrain, which was really nothing more than The Love Boat on rails, lasted barely two months and only 9 episodes.  As the most expensive television show to produce up that point, the program nearly bankrupted NBC and as Wikipedia notes the show is considered "one of the greatest television flops."

Supertrain featured a super-speed, extra-wide train that ran from New York to Los Angeles in 36 hours.

However, NBC need not worry.  History shows things will get better.  For every Supertrain, Sheriff Lobo, etc. there's a Cheers, Cosby, Seinfeld, ER and Friends.

And what of the then fantastical train itself? California may very well be getting something very similar.


 

A Funny Video and Some Censorship

By the way, unless you hunt around the internet and are lucky enough to find a copy before it's pulled, you can't see a very funny SNL skit that was critical of both President Bush and Congressional Democrats as well as billionaire liberal George Soros. NBC has pulled this video but yet has allowed SNL skits that make fun of John McCain and Sarah Palin to remain.

It's not at all the first time SNL has been censored, the video below, a parody of children's TV feature, Schoolhouse Rock, which was critical of NBC's corporate parent, GE, amongst other large corporations, was also allegedly banned by the Peacock Network.

Guess who in red with Mayor Villaraigosa??

Hint, think top of the alphabet and a common crop in Iowa.

A. Communist Workers Party

B. Bus Riders Union

C. ACORN

80 FAKE NEIGHBORHOOD WATCHES**

D. Academia Semillas del Pueblo

E. IBEW with Boss D'Arcy

F. Inner City Struggle

G. East Los Angeles Community Corp.

H. LA Voice Pico

I. Tyrone Freeman's Family

Here is a link to this group's past collaborations with Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa.

**** Is NBC engage in censorship in regards to a Saturday Night Live parody of the Sub-Prime Crisis??

LA Times story on same topic.

Mayor Sam's Hotsheet for Monday

Prediction: Expect NIMBYs - including candidate for Mayor Zev and Clowncilman Tom LeBong - opposed to development at Universal Studios and the Universal City Metro Station to use the fire at the Studios as a further reason to block the development plans that would - among other things - bring the famed NBC Studios from Burbank into the City of Los Angeles.

In light of a ridiculous idea for the City to create business preferential parking districts as a way to raise money, CityWatch takes a look at the whole concept of the districts which allow residents/homeowners in a given area to snatch up street parking from non-residents. I've never been in favor of these districts as I see them as an unconstitutional taking of public streets for a select few. A stakeholder tells CityWatch's Ken Draper that he finds the districts exclusionary sayng “We have to ask: whose street is this anyway?” Our property lines end at the curb. We all pay taxes. The streets belong to all of us. What gives me the right to tell you you can’t use your taxes-paid-for street?"

Zuma Dogg's story on the latest in the court case against Proposition R features a photo essay that makes me think maybe life isn't so easy for some of our City Council members.

Billboard wackos may not like this but cities like Los Angeles have provided public restroom facilities that clean themselves and are partially funded by advertising. The arrangements make available the restrooms and other street furniture at no cost to cities.

Rumor has it that Britney Spears is being considered to appear in the latest Broadway production of Grease portraying Sandy, the part made famous in the film by Olivia Newton-John. However there is no official confirmation of the casting at present.

Open Thread for Saturday

Today is the day of the big Circus in Sunland-Tujunga. Joseph Mailander wraps the whole sordid tale of Home Depot and our friends to the north in a nice big box with smart and pretty bow around it. This afternoon, Mrs. Ridley-Thomas brings her army of happy mediators to Mt. Gleason Junior High for the biggest Charlie Foxtrot since NBC brought us Supertrain.

Your guesses as to what will happen?

Mayor Sam's Hotsheet for Friday

The Mini Mayor has chosen a superintendent for his mini school district. Once again he turns to San Diego to find a bureaucrat, this one, Angela Bass, an administrator in the San Diego schools has long personal ties to the superintendent of the big school district, Admiral David Brewer.

NBC Universal has big plans for their property - which means they need the support of politicians and the community. So why are they not playing ball and supporting the LA River Bikeway? They don't have to, but they should.

The LA County Republicans once again prove they're expert at eating their own. And continue to further relegate themselves to a permanent minority status.

Some geniuses in City Hall thought it might be a good idea to implement toll roads going into LAX. However, other bureaucrats and even a few Clowncilmen find it to be a really dumb idea.

If you want a Walter Moore for Mayor bumper sticker, you can get one for free if you send him a self addressed stamped envelope. Click here to get the details.

Mayor Sam's Hotsheet for Thursday

Happy New Year!

Though NBC is planning to move its Beautiful Downtown Burbank facilities to Universal City, the Burbank Leader reports its not a done deal. Though the City of Burbank has approved NBC transferring its development rights to a new developer, the City of LA has yet to approve this deal which will bring significant economic opportunity to the San Fernando Valley. Due to NIMBY nonsense and the lack of foresight of Councilman Tom LeBong, NBC is going to have tough sledding here.

This is kind of odd. Its an old story and as far as I know nothing has come up lately, but a fine waters website is carrying a post about LA's Toilet to Tap water program.

The blog Cheat Seeking Missiles declares Mayor Villaraigosa as Bill Clinton's "spiritual brother." The blog posits that Antonio - who says of his conversations with Iowans - "I say I'm mayor of Los Angeles, and some of them put up a smile," probably doesn't tell the locals that "his popularity has plummeted with his zipper" since The Summer of Love.

"Wacko Jacko" Weiss continues his journey towards libertarianism as he promotes a sort of modified free enterprise approach to transit in Los Angeles - some degree of privatization of subway and transit lines. He doesn't go far enough but this type of heresy coming from a local elected is a breath of fresh air for an old, dead Republican Mayor such as, well, uh, me.

I've been trying to tell my friends in Sunland-Tujunga (as well as Wal-Mart and Costco haters) that the best andidote to big box stores is the free market. And it appears I was right. Big boxers like Wal-Mart, Home Depot and even chains like Starbucks often find its not so easy to compete against small independents and are struggling because as Reason Magazine's Michael Moynihan writes; "The inability to adapt to local tastes and the failure to anticipate technological market shifts have been the Achilles heel of many big box retailers."

Speaking of Sunland-Tujunga don't forget our big Mayor Sam wing-ding there on Sunday, January 13th. To RSVP click here.

Mayor Sam's Hotsheet for Thursday

Red Spot had it here yesterday - USC sick of the crap they're getting from the Coliseum Commission in negotiations for a new lease to play football in the stadium may bolt for the Rose Bowl. The Trojans are proposing a 10 year $100 million deal to repair the Coliseum themselves and take over its management. The Commission is holding to some pipe dream that NFL football is coming and only want to rent to USC for home games only. The idiots on the Commission need to wake up and realize what a major loss it would be for USC to leave LA and reward them for their decades long loyalty. Fight on!

Ten years later and Bernie is still bitter about the LAPD's "3-12" schedule that allows officers to work three days a week if they work 12 hour shifts. The plan is popular with officers. Many officers can not afford to live within city limits and live far from where they work. Fighting traffic three times a week instead of five is less stressful. Giving them four days to rest extends their usefulness. This time though Bitter Bernie managed to drag Jan Perry away from banning fast food long enough to mess with the cops.

Most readers know the old, dead Republican Mayor is the first to pounce on Clowncil members when they do or say anything remotely stupid. However writing about Wendy Greuel's "transportation mission statement" Boi From Troy was a bit over the top in comparing her comments to "something the pointy-haired boss would think up in a Dilbert cartoon." Actually in calling for the outline of plan with measurable goals and metrics Greuel is actually quite businesslike. Still busted up about Lloyd Levine getting hitched Scott?

Saturday is the 52nd anniversary of Rosa Parks' bold stand for civil rights when she fought segregation in the South. The County of Los Angeles has declared it 'Rosa Parks Day" but so far the Los Angeles City Council has not yet done the same. With only one more Council meeting left before the day they better get around to it soon. They can fine time to condemn our country and vote against the war but seem to have a hard time honoring a real American hero.

Roy Disney has a major share in the family business, The Walt Disney Company who counts among it's many subsidiaries ABC. No wonder he's opposed to NBC Universal's plan to build a new facility at the Universal City Metro station. How old is this guy anyway? Why does he care about traffic that's 5-10 years away?

What's this? Mayor V - National Chairman of Hillary Rodham Clinton's Presidential Campaign - showing up in a Barack Obama press release?

Ann Cottrell - congratulations you've just become the 10,000th passenger to fly out of LA/Palmdale Regional Airport - what are you going to do now? Shake Mayor Villaraigosa's hand!

A Green Party blogger finds Mayor Villaraigosa's Million Trees program a "bone headed idea."

And finally - no jokes please; Gloria Molina is spending hundreds of thousands of tax dollars to build designated County "fitness zones."

NBC To Sell Telemundo

Well...part of it anyway. Was Mirthala-gate too much for them?

The San Fernando Valley Business Journal reports that the Peacock Network plans to sell it's second local, Burbank based Telemundo station, KWHY Channel 22 as well as another Telemundo outlet in Puerto Rico in order to raise cash to buy the Oxygen women's fare cable network.

And we have a great idea for a TV movie once the sale is final!

Lunch break

As many of you noted this morning, David Zahniser has written an interesting piece on the intersection of a $3 billion Universal City development and the Mayor’s main squeeze.

Others read this as more than an intersection; they see Villaraigosa holding support for the development hostage pending the outcome of an investigation that will determine Salinas’ future at Telemundo.

To me, that’s a stretch. I think Zahniser's point is, there are no rules governing a situation where a potential conflict of interest involves a girlfriend rather than a spouse.

* Update
Flap stands firm and drops a couple of titillating appetizers.